Survey reveals business cost of bad restrooms

By Marianne Wilson

Menomonee Falls, Wis. -- An increasing majority of Americans (63%) report they have had a particularly unpleasant experience in a public restroom due to the condition of the facilities, according to a new survey by Bradley Corp., manufacturer of commercial restroom furnishings. That’s up from 51% one year ago, according to the company's fifth annual national Healthy Hand Washing Survey.

For businesses, an unpleasant restroom experience creates negative perceptions. A majority (64%) of survey respondents say they’ll either think twice about patronizing the business or will never frequent it again. And 93% believe the condition of a workplace restroom is an indicator of how a company values its workforce.